Lost, yet Found by Fire
by GreyLoki
Summary: Ticket to Life prequel: Bryce wasn't always unhinged, but what made him that way? Walk through the flames with him to find out.


**Hello, I am Loki. Of GreyLoki.**

**I give the stories a somber tone when necessary.**

**Grey gives the comedic spin each one has.**

**We're both apart of the same person, but we're like different personalities.**

**I was tasked with giving backstories to Bryce Willex and Eduardo Perros of Ticket to Life.**

**This story is the backstory of Bryce. I feel conflicted about whether or not I want you to enjoy this mini-series because, as I have said, I bring a sombre tone to these stories.**

**Well... enjoy...**

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><p>Normal… What does it mean to be normal? Is it to follow the crowd and to never deviate off the beaten path? Is it to believe that those that don't are crazy or off balanced mentally?<p>

Is it normal for a kid to be curious about things that are considered dangerous? For them to try and experience said dangers? The child psychiatrist my dad took me to once said that it is perfectly normal for kids, but those experiences can have a negative effect on them.

So I asked him; If following the norm or staying on the path can lead to someone becoming "strange," why stay on it in the first place?

I had followed the crowd at an younger age, and now I was looked at as if I was strange.

My names Bryce Willex. And I was once normal.

I was born into an extremely small family, just my mom, dad, and I. I wasn't even 2 when my mom had left us. Not sure how yet, my dad doesn't like talking about it. The pictures I have of her show her as a pretty rainbow lady. She was on the short side, but dad said her kindness was 10 times bigger. In those pictures she looked so happy to be around my dad and I.

I wonder what my life would be like if she was still around.

My dad is Fox-man with crimson-red fur and in the pictures his eyes showed a gentle disposition, it seemed that I was a mini copy of him back then. Now, however, my dad has become hardened by something. He's still gentle at heart, but his outer demeanor seemed a little rough to people who didn't know him. That is how I've seen my dad ever since I could remember.

Things were very different back then.

When I was younger I had so many friends. By 2nd grade I had a lot of "secret" admirers. I had been doing so well in school, top of my grade, honor roll. Never once got into a fight, or into big trouble; of course I did get into a little trouble, but who didn't as kid?

I will never forget the event that ruined my life, but saved my mind.

"Wake-up Bryce," I hear my dad whisper into my ear. I feel him gently nudging me awake. I open my eyes to see him, he had grown a soul patch and was dressed for work at the office.

I sit up and rub the sleep from my eyes, "Morning dad."

"It's your first day of 3rd grade," he says warmly, "are you excited?"

I have a big smile on my face and say, "Yeah!"

My dad pats the top of head and tells me to get ready. As he leaves the room I get out of my bed and prepare for the day. I put on the clothes I picked out last night; white sneakers, a pair of blue jeans and a purple t-shirt that had a design of a group of yellow baby chicks with orange one in the middle. The caption on the shirt said "One of a Kind."

I begin to pack my backpack with the supplies my dad got for the school year. As I did I find a small chrome skull keychain. I remember that I secretly bought it from Fierce Theme when I got separated from dad in the mall. There was just something about it that drew my attention. It felt like something I have always wanted, but never knew until I saw it.

I put the keychain in my pocket and finish packing for school.

"Alright Bryce!" I heard my dad call, "come get some breakfast. Your bus will be here in an hour."

I take my backpack and go to the kitchen. Dad made us a couple of bowls of oatmeal. I didn't really like oatmeal, but dad once said that it was better for me than cereal. As we ate dad asked if I remember when we were supposed to go camping.

"We're supposed to go the first three-day weekend I have," I tell him. I was so excited to go camping.

"Ah, that's right," he said with a chuckle, "and unlike last time, I have some vacation days to use for it."

"Yes," I quietly exclaimed. My dad had told me stories of when he and mom went camping. All the fun and difficult times they had doing so. I felt like going camping would make me get one step closer to mom.

After finishing up my oatmeal I heard the bus coming up the street. I rushed myself out the door and to the bus stop ready for what the day had in store for me.

At least... I thought I was.

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><p><strong>Please leave a review or critique.<strong>

**I hope you'll respect Bryce enough to hear the rest of his tale.**

**Tragedy approaches the young fox.**


End file.
